In a marketing world dominated by dashboards, attribution models, and pixel-based precision, one crucial piece of the puzzle is often underestimated: brand awareness. As explored in a recent episode of Beyond the Billboard, too many marketers are trading long-term brand equity for short-term wins, and it is costing them.
The conversation between Digital Reach CEO Mandy Thompson and OneScreen Head of Marketing Charlie Riley explored the misunderstood power of out-of-home (OOH) advertising and made a compelling case for why it deserves a central role in today’s omnichannel marketing strategies.
Watch the full video below.
Brand Awareness is Still the Real MVP
Today’s obsession with clicks, conversions, and data transparency makes sense. After all, who doesn’t love knowing exactly which ad brought in which lead? But as Mandy pointed out, this mindset has gone too far.
“It’s amazing how short of a period of time we’ve actually had accurate tracking,” Mandy said. “But it’s dramatically shaped how we market. And while it’s great to see someone fill out a form, what we forget is that we might be missing the most important part of the sales process: awareness.”
Marketing does not begin when someone is ready to convert. It starts much earlier, with trust, recognition, and repeated exposure. This is where OOH advertising thrives. It delivers impressions in the physical world that build familiarity long before a digital campaign gets the credit.
OOH Isn’t Just for Big Budgets or Big Brands
Another myth Mandy addressed is the assumption that OOH is only for large enterprises with huge media budgets. In reality, there are countless ways to get your message out in the real world without spending a fortune.
“A lot of people just immediately think, ‘I can’t afford billboards or LED trucks.’ But they also forget what out-of-home can actually include… things like cart corrals in grocery stores. That’s not just for realtors.” – Mandy Thompson
OOH is more versatile than many realize. From posters in local bodegas to signage in gyms or community centers, it can meet your audience where they already are, not just in premium advertising zones.
Yes, OOH Has Ways to Measure Success
OOH often gets labeled as “untrackable,” which discourages some marketers from even considering it. While it may not provide a one-to-one path from impression to conversion, there are effective ways to understand its impact.
“We can’t say ‘Mandy Thompson saw this billboard and then went here,’ but we can track overlap and lift,” Mandy explained. “Even if it’s just to benchmark, and benchmarking matters. It’s how we did all of marketing before we had cookies tracking every click.”
Conducting brand lift studies, brand recall among those exposed to ads versus a control group and more allow you to evaluate OOH campaign performance without needing direct attribution. These methods offer enough insight to assess exposure and influence, especially when used alongside other marketing data.
Repetition Drives Recall
OOH works because it shows up repeatedly in people’s everyday environments. That repetition creates a sense of familiarity, even if the viewer is not consciously focused on the ad.
“You see the billboard, maybe don’t pay much attention. But then you’re pushing your cart around the grocery store and think, ‘Wait, I remember that.’ You’re suddenly more receptive to the message.” – Mandy Thompson
This kind of brand reinforcement is what helps you stand out later. For example, when a potential customer searches online for a product or service, that earlier exposure becomes the reason they recognize your name.
“Dental implants near me. Oh, you know what? I remember seeing that billboard. I’m gonna click on that brand’s name instead of the competitor.” – Mandy Thompson
OOH lays the groundwork for when that person is ready to engage, given 95% of the B2B buying market is not ready to buy at one time.. It gives you a fighting chance in those critical, competitive search moments.
You Don’t Need a Celebrity or Big Campaign to Make OOH Work
There is often hesitation around OOH simply because it is easy to compare your brand to larger players. If you are not launching nationwide campaigns or hiring big-name talent, it can feel like OOH is out of reach.
Mandy reframed this mindset:
“We don’t say we won’t run paid ads just because we can’t spend millions like HubSpot or Salesforce. We shouldn’t rule out OOH just because we can’t put Katherine Hahn in a pirate commercial. We can still do things that put our brand in people’s minds.” – Mandy Thompson
OOH is not about doing it all. It is about doing what makes sense for your brand and budget,
Integrated Campaigns Multiply OOH’s Effectiveness
OOH works best when it is not isolated. Instead of treating it as a one-off campaign or a vanity project, marketers should see it as a powerful tool within a coordinated, multi-channel approach.
Seeing your brand in real life, then again online or in a social feed, helps consumers develop trust. The more touchpoints they experience, the more likely they are to take action when the time comes.
OOH supports your digital strategies, reinforces your message, and adds real-world legitimacy that pixels alone cannot match.
Final Thoughts: Think Beyond the Billboard
OOH is not an outdated tactic trying to stay relevant. It is a marketing powerhouse that has stood the test of time for a reason. It shows up where people live, shop, commute, and socialize, making your brand part of their everyday lives.
“Out-of-home is a brand builder. It puts your name in the room, literally. And when done right, it sticks with people longer than any sponsored Instagram story ever could.” – Mandy Thompson
As you build your next campaign, do not limit your thinking to channels that offer instant attribution. Instead, consider the entire customer journey, and ask yourself where OOH can create the brand presence that makes the rest of your strategy more effective.
Want to hear more from Mandy?
🎧 Listen to episode 4 of Beyond the Billboard wherever you get your podcasts and explore how smart, accessible, out-of-home campaigns can amplify your brand and drive real results.